BYSTANDER REACTIONS TO A VIOLENT THEFT - CRIME IN JERUSALEM

• NCJ Number: 41151
• Journal: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Volume: 34 Issue: 6 Dated: (1976) Pages: 1188-1199
• Author(s): S H SCHWARTZ; A GOTTLIEB
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: American Psychological Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DESCRIPTION AND DISCUSSION OF AN EXPERIMENT TO STUDY BYSTANDER BEHAVIOR WHEN PERSONS ARE CONFRONTED WITH AN EMERGENCY CAUSED BY A VIOLENT CRIME.

Abstract

AS BACKGROUND INFORMATION, THE AUTHORS LIST THREE ANALYTICALLY DISTINCT PROCESSES THAT MAY ACCOUNT FOR THE FREQUENTLY OBSERVED TENDENCY OF BYSTANDERS TO INHIBIT EACH OTHERS' RESPONSIVENESS IN EMERGENCIES -- SOCIAL INFLUENCE, AUDIENCE INHIBITION, AND DIFFUSION OF RESPONSIBILITY. THE EXPERIMENTERS FOUND THAT HELPING OF THE VICTIM WAS REDUCED BY DIFFUSION OF RESPONSIBILITY AND SLOWED BY NEGATIVE SOCIAL INFLUENCES, BUT WAS INCREASED BY EVALUATION APPREHENSIONS. DIFFERENCES TRACEABLE TO SOCIAL INFLUENCE APPEARED PRIOR TO THOSE FROM THE OTHER PROCESSES. IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF HELPING AND THE INTERPRETATION OF BYSTANDER DECISIONMAKING ARE DISCUSSED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...KAP